Active epilepsy in mentally retarded children. II. Etiology and reduced pre– and perinatal optimality

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Abstract
A population–based study of active epilepsy in mentally retarded children identified 98 children, 6–13 years old. A biopathological origin was established in 66% of mildly and 92% of severely retarded children: a prenatal etiology was considered in 51 % and 57%, a perinatal in 9% and 19%, a postnatal in 6% andl6% and an untraceable etiology in 34% and 8%, respectively. Severe mental retardation was more frequent in the peri– and postnatal groups (80% and 83%) than in the prenatal and untraceable groups (67% and 29%). Thirty–four pre– and perinatal optimal items were defined. Children with a prenatal etiology did not differ from controls in any of the periods. Children with a perinatal etiology had, compared with controls, higher proportions of non–optimal items successively increasing through the pre– and perinatal periods showing the accumulation of negative events.Children, epilepsy, etiology, mental retardation, reduced optimality